Spring is here to stay and that means that already the academic year has ended! You would be surprised how fast nine months really is – especially when you are on the cusp of graduation. Of course, congratulations to all of the graduates this spring! You should be proud of yourselves and what you have achieved. This spring marks a momentous occasion for me as I was among those that graduated.

It is hard to believe that in August of 2011 I was starting my higher education journey at a community college in Minnesota only to find myself transferring to the plains of North Dakota. I certainly did not count on graduating with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Education, a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Airport Management, a specialization in Business Aviation, and earning my Certified Member (C.M.) initials through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). Looking back now, it does seem like a lot of schooling. Let’s not forget my favorite certification which was that of my Private Pilot’s License!

It is also hard to think of how much I managed to fit in since then. Working at a library, a Fixed Based Operator (FBO), a student magazine, a commercial Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) park, a student magazine, financial aid, and more. Besides just putting myself through school, I still managed to find time to be involved with the University of North Dakota (UND) AAAE Student Chapter as well as the Women’s Air Race Classic Team. Of course, writing this blog for the past two years has been a big part of my higher education experience as I have been able to chronicle my studies as well as my experiences.

As graduation has so quickly come and just as quickly left, it means that this is my last post for the academic year (maybe). When I first took on this position writing for not only myself, but www.Globalair.com, I never thought it would last as long as two years or that I could possibly have that much to write about. I also never thought I would have so many opportunities to write about so many different topics or interview so many truly inspiring people from the aerospace industry. While this may be my last post for a little while, be sure to keep checking back, especially my Facebook page (Blue Skies & Tailwinds) where I share photos and links to articles about the aerospace industry.

As for the next step, I’m heading west! I have accepted a job offer to work for the City of Klamath Falls in Klamath Falls, OR at the Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport. I will work as an Airport Operations Specialist II and do a little of everything including airport inspections, wildlife management, maintenance, and much more. I’m very excited to a) have a job, and b) work with an airport in a beautiful part of the country. I know I will learn much and I’m hoping to share a little of my experiences with you all at some point. However, I’m ready for a little break here!

So, thank you all for following me and be sure to check back soon for the next phase of my aerospace story. Until then, may you always have blue skies and tailwinds!